Written Answers

Thursday 16 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Child Poverty

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the Joint Action Committee on child poverty.

Jackie Baillie: The Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty held a preliminary meeting on 9 December 1999 when the Minister for Children and I represented the Scottish Executive. The committee will meet again shortly when its terms of reference and future work programme will be finalised.

Coalfield Communities

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote community development in coalfield communities.

Jackie Baillie: In addition to other initiatives and activities to revitalise communities, we are providing the Coalfields Regeneration Trust with £4.5 million over three years to support the regeneration of coalfield communities across Scotland. The Trust has established its Scottish office in Alloa and its development officers are now active in coalfield communities promoting the work of the Trust and encouraging applications for support.

Economic Development

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken or plans to take in relation to its policies following the "Business in the Chamber" event on 18 February 2000 and whether it will specify any new or supplementary polices in detail.

Henry McLeish: I will respond to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Inquiry on local economic development when the final report is published.

Education

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current annual expenditure is on the training of teachers who are responsible for the education of autistic children.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive provides £5 million to local authorities for in-service special educational needs staff development and training, including teachers of autistic children.

Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a course or courses in songwriting within the tertiary education system and, if so, with whom it will consult regarding establishment and delivery; whether, as part of any such course or courses, advice would be issued to ensure control over all intellectual property rights on songs, and what plans it has to promote songwriting and to give prominence to young songwriters from Scotland throughout the world.

Henry McLeish: There are no plans to do so.

Employment

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to alleviate long term unemployment.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal.

  The New Deal for Young People and the New Deal for the Long Term Unemployed Aged 25 plus are aimed at alleviating long term unemployment. Already in Scotland, from January 1998 to December 1999, over 21,000 young people have found work and a further 2,800 have found work under the New Deal 25 plus, since June 1998.

Energy

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the possible introduction of green energy trading certificates and, if so, whether any such representations will seek to secure possible revenues raised in Scotland from such an energy purchase scheme.

Sarah Boyack: Provision for the introduction of "green" certificates is made in the Utilities Bill, which is currently in its Committee stage in the House of Commons. Under the proposed renewables obligation, trade in them is expected to take place between renewable electricity generators and electricity suppliers. It is envisaged that a market will begin to operate at UK level, but since the Government will not be involved in these transactions, which will be between companies, no revenues will accrue to Government. It is likely, however, that revenues from renewable generation in Scotland will represent an important source of income for Scottish renewable projects.

Enterprise

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much land and property Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies have sold or disposed of since May 1997; what was the total monetary worth of the sales or disposals, and which government departments have been in receipt of the revenues raised from the sales or disposals.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies have sold 796 acres of land and 1,158,000 sq. ft of buildings during the period from April 1997 to the end of February 2000.

  These sales realised income of £62.148 million. Each year Scottish Enterprise is set a gross expenditure budget. This gross figure represents the maximum expenditure Scottish Enterprise may incur in the financial year. Receipts from the sale of land and property contribute towards this overall gross figure.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to cease the operation as independent companies limited by guarantee of local enterprise companies and instead that they should operate as part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Scottish Enterprise network and whether it can provide an estimate of the savings, if any, that this measure might bring.

Henry McLeish: The status of local enterprise companies is being considered as part of the review of the enterprise networks in Scotland which I announced recently. I encourage all those who wish to have an input to contribute to the debate.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust their expertise in running three pilot accreditation courses and what lessons, if any, it could learn from the Trust in relation to accreditation for business advisers.

Henry McLeish: I have recently outlined several proposed improvements to the services provided by the Scottish Enterprise Network to assist business start-ups and small businesses, and we are discussing similar developments with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. These include the possible introduction of quality standards, covering both business organisations and advisers. As part of that work, I have asked my officials to contact PSYBT to discuss their particular approach.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to tackle heart disease, particularly amongst women, in Scotland.

Donald Dewar: In Scotland, we set up a Coronary Heart Disease Task Force in August 1998. Its remit includes equity of access to cardiac services, the assessment of Scottish needs, development of Managed Clinical Networks and a range of waiting list issues. Last year we allocated an additional £7 million to the NHS specifically to tackle coronary artery bypass grafts.

  The task force has been concerned throughout its work to identify and address any issues affecting women who have coronary heart disease.

Health

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was made aware of the current state of repair of the roof at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive was first made aware of the state of repair of the roof at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh in December 1999.

  It is the responsibility of the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure the buildings owned by the Trust are safe and secure.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to address the increase in excess winter deaths.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Works to improve home insulation may well help to reduce the number of excess winter deaths, hence the Warm Deal, the biggest package of home insulation measures ever available in Scotland - a total of approximately £39 million over the next three years. This can lead to savings in fuel bills of up to £170 per year. 100,000 households will benefit from the Warm Deal during the lifetime of this administration.

Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died because of the incidence of flu this winter.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is not possible to give a precise answer. Even during a major influenza outbreak, the underlying cause of death is rarely classified as influenza, and doctors do not often mention influenza on the certificate of cause of death. Provisional returns for the three months December 1999 to February 2000 show that influenza was mentioned in only 161 cases. It is known that deaths from a number of other causes, notably pneumonia and other respiratory conditions, increase significantly during a period of high influenza activity. However, there is no standard method of associating a proportion of these extra deaths with influenza activity.

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will achieve its targets to speed treatment and shorten waiting times in the NHS.

Susan Deacon: As I announced in Parliament on 16 December 1999, we are working with the NHS in Scotland to establish national maximum waiting times, to be delivered from March 2001, in the key clinical specialties of heart disease, cancer and mental health. In addition, the introduction of walk-in/walk-out centres, the establishment of additional one-stop clinics and the redesign of services to improve the patient pathway, will speed treatment and reduce waiting times.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the Dietary Targets for Scotland in 2005, set in 1993.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish dietary targets were set in 1994. Their continuing relevance was confirmed in the White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland , published in February 1999 and endorsed by the Scottish Parliament the following September.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to increase public awareness of the issues identified in Eating for Health: A Diet Action Plan for Scotland .

Susan Deacon: The Health Education Board for Scotland, as the national agency for health education in Scotland, is at the forefront of the Scottish Executive’s drive to improve Scotland’s diet and to increase public awareness of the benefits to health of a balanced diet.

  Healthy eating is a key component of the board’s high profile "Big 3" adult mass media campaign, targeting Scotland’s three major killer diseases, coronary heart disease, cancer and stroke. Other board initiatives, such as its work with Health Promoting and New Community Schools and its introduction of a Cyberschool, are providing effective mechanisms for the promotion of healthy eating specifically to children and young people. Increasing use of IT is being made by the board to deliver health education messages to both the public and to professionals.

  National activity is complemented, at local level, by the wide range of innovative work being undertaken by health boards, NHS Trusts and primary care teams.

Health

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to assess changes in public awareness of dietary issues and what the results are of any such assessment which has already taken place.

Susan Deacon: The Health Education Population Surveys, undertaken by the Health Education Board for Scotland, include information about the level of public awareness of health-related risk factors. The board’s 1997 survey, published last year, indicated that the majority of the population were aware of the importance of healthy eating, with 83% of those interviewed having attempted to make changes to their diet in the past year.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of cancer care services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of ear, nose and throat services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of urology services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of radiology services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of obstetrics and gynaecological services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of orthopaedic services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of paediatric services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes any early retirement packages for staff.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes any staff redeployment.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes an increase in the use of generic wards.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes the demolition of any buildings.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust includes proposals for the centralisation of services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes any staff redundancies.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of mental health services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of general surgery services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust will have a detrimental effect on service provision.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust proposes a shift in emphasis from inpatients to day cases.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has any proposals with implications for the provision of accident and emergency services.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is expected to have any implications for the ambulance service in that area.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is working closely with the Trust and Health Board to ensure that robust financial stability plans are produced which will ensure that high quality patient care continues to be delivered within a sustainable financial framework.

Healthy Gay Scotland Campaign

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the level of public subsidy provided to "Healthy Gay Scotland" from (a) the Scottish Executive, (b) Health Education Board Scotland, (c) health boards, (d) local authorities and (e) any other groups funded by the aforementioned agencies for the financial years 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

Iain Gray: The Executive is the sole public sector body funding the Healthy Gay Scotland campaign. In each of the last two years, a grant of £150,000 was offered to the organisation, with £150,000 being paid in 1998-99 and £126,320 being paid in 1999-2000.

Highlands and Islands

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those appointed as members of the Highland and Islands Convention, specifying the position each member holds in the organisation they are representing.

Henry McLeish: The 35 member organisations of the reconstituted Convention of the Highlands and Islands were announced by the First Minister on 3 February. They have been invited to nominate senior members to represent their organisation and the Scottish Executive is currently in the process of accepting these nominations. Once complete, a list will be made available.

Highlands and Islands

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning intends to call the further, previously promised meeting with Highlands and Islands MSPs to discuss the future of oil fabrication yards in the region.

Henry McLeish: It has been my intention that the next meeting of Highlands & Islands MSPs should be able to take a report of the recent meeting of the industry-wide Oil & Gas Industry Support Group, which met recently in Edinburgh to discuss future demand for offshore fabrication work and possible future activity within the sector. My officials will shortly be making arrangements for me to meet and brief Highlands & Islands MSPs on the continuing response by the Scottish Executive and its partners in the face of the difficulties being faced within the oil and gas fabrication sector.

Justice

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the fiscal fine scheme to assess its impact on minor offences.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has no such plans at present. However, a clearer picture of the operation of fines arrangements generally should emerge from a research study we have commissioned on fines and fines enforcement. The study should be completed by the end of this year, and will cover all types of fines including conditional offers, or ‘fiscal fines’.

Law Reform

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals the Scottish Law Commission has for future law reform projects.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have recently agreed with the Scottish Law Commission a Sixth Programme of Law Reform . This was presented to the Parliament today and will be published tomorrow. Copies have been placed in SPICe. The new Programme, which supersedes and consolidates the existing five Programmes, describes the short, medium and long term projects on which the Commission will be working between now and the end of 2004. Timetables are set for the short and medium term projects.

  The centrepiece of the projects in the Sixth Programme remains the Commission’s work on property including conversion of some categories of long lease to ownership, land registration and general consolidation of conveyancing legislation. Other matters on which recommendations are expected before the end of 2004 include irritancies, judicial factors and Trusts. The Commission’s work on diligence is also expected to be completed.

  The Government welcomes this Programme, which concentrates on a number of important and timely law reform projects. The fixing of priorities and timetables will help all of those with an interest in law reform to keep track of and prepare for changes in the law which the Commission might recommend.

  The Scottish Law Commission has a general remit to keep under review, for the purpose of reform and consolidation, the law of Scotland. In addition to the Programmes of Law Reform agreed from time to time with Ministers, the Commission also receives references on specific issues and provides other advice on specific areas of the law.

Local Government Finance

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the joint working group established with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to look at issues such as three-year planning, hypothecation, salaries and guidelines to report, whether the report will be published and whether it will be available in time to affect the way next year’s local government financial settlement is decided.

Mr Jack McConnell: The first meeting of the joint working group will take place later this month. The work of the group will inform the discussions that we will have with CoSLA on next year’s local government finance settlement, and it will also inform the longer-term strategy of the Scottish Executive.

Local Government Finance

Mr John Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that local government funding will increase over the next few years and what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government about increasing the block grant so that a larger amount of money can be available in future local government settlements.

Mr Jack McConnell: Local government funding in Scotland is planned to increase by more than the rate of inflation this year, next year and the year after. The total budget available for the Scottish Executive’s programmes is determined in accordance with funding rules published by HM Treasury in March 1999. The future funding of local government in Scotland will be considered by the Executive in the course of the spending review which is currently in progress.

Marine Safety

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the United Kingdom’s oil spill national contingency plan.

Mr John Home Robertson: Yes. Copies of the plan are currently in the process of being issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Marine Safety

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to designate the Minches as a Marine Environmental High Risk Area.

Sarah Boyack: The formal designation of Marine Environmental High Risk Areas (MEHRAs) will be a matter for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), taking account of both the risk of pollution from shipping and coastal environmental sensitivity.

  The Scottish Executive will be involved in the discussions leading to the identification and establishment of such areas in waters adjacent to Scotland. An initial study commissioned by the DETR to identify potential MEHRAs has already identified the area of the Minches as having a very high environmental sensitivity.

Medical Records

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will arrange for patients’ medical records to be kept for longer periods after death in order to facilitate medical research.

Susan Deacon: It is for health boards, NHS Trusts and GPs to determine which of their records they retain for clinical or research purposes in line with the guidance that was issued to the NHS on 1 December 1993. This set out the minimum retention periods after which medical records may be destroyed, although health boards, NHS Trusts and GPs are not obliged to do so.

  I have placed a copy of MEL (1993) 152 Guidance for the Retention and Destruction of Health Records in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mental Health

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to reduce any stigma associated with mental health.

Iain Gray: The Framework for Mental Health Services, launched in 1997, emphasises the need for all care agencies to publicise and improve the profile of mental health services in the community. Health boards - often working in partnership with Trusts, primary care agencies and local communities - undertake a range of local health promotion initiatives aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues, including stigma.

  Furthermore, the Health Education Board for Scotland promotes the reduction of stigma through their support of Scottish Mental Health Week and in the Think About It campaign aimed at young people.

National Lottery

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport regarding the National Lottery licence renewal and any effect this may have on the allocation and distribution of funding to Scottish charities.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The new National Lottery licence will be awarded by the National Lottery Commission, which is an independent body. The award will have no effect on the distribution of lottery funds, which will remain a matter for the Lottery distributing bodies.

National Parks

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include in its draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill a definition of the aims of the national park proposal to include the individual residents and the communities within the area of a Park and, if not, why not; and why in the draft Bill, the term "area" does not include any specific explicit reference to the individual residents or communities within either sections 1(3) or 30.

Sarah Boyack: All the comments made on the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill are currently being considered.

  We recognise the importance of communities and local residents in the running of the National Parks they live in. The draft Bill sets out the aims of National Parks at section 1(3) and the conditions for a National Park proposal at section 1(2). These encompass the interests of residents and communities, as well as many other interests, without specifying them all by name. Section 30 is for definition of terms and is not the appropriate place for setting out community involvement.

National Parks

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has chosen Scottish Natural Heritage to provide input and advice as to the boundaries of any proposed National Park area instead of the local residents and Community Councils.

Sarah Boyack: We have not asked Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to advise instead of local residents and communities on the boundaries of National Parks. We have asked them to consult with these groups and others on identifying and discussing the options for the detailed arrangements for each proposed National Park. This will help to pave the way for the formal consultation in due course after Royal Assent has been achieved.

National Stadium

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether savings from the assisted places scheme, over and above those already made available for a Hampden rescue package, will be used to provide any additional funding now to be committed to Hampden.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I refer Mr Harding to my answer to question S1W-3438.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the powers and responsibilities of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Sarah Boyack: The powers and responsibilities of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are kept under continual review to take account of new and proposed duties arising from European and domestic legislation. In accordance with normal arrangements for non-departmental public bodies, the Scottish Executive proposes to carry out a five-year review of SEPA either later this year or during 2001. The scope of this review, and whether it will extend specifically to SEPA’s powers and responsibilities, has yet to be decided. The Scottish Executive is also considering how to take forward a review of the possible rationalisation of the regulatory mechanisms under which SEPA operates, in response to a recommendation by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the mechanisms through which the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is accountable to the public.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA’s) operating arrangements are set out in a formal Management Statement agreed with the Scottish Executive. This records how SEPA is held to account, through a structure of planning, reporting and performance review, to the Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. The Management Statement is due to be reviewed as part of a five-year review of SEPA by the Scottish Executive later this year or in 2001.

  SEPA reports annually on its activities, plans and performance through its Corporate Plan, Annual Report and audited accounts. These reports, which are published, are reviewed by, and agreed with, the Scottish Executive each year. SEPA is also committed to being accessible and responsive to stakeholders, to explaining the reasons for its work and to publishing information on its activities and on the state of the environment. SEPA also publishes a quarterly magazine about its activities and operates a comprehensive website which receives over one million visits each year. Its board meetings are held in public.

Scottish Executive Staff

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the percentage of Scottish Executive employees who have a disability.

Mr Jack McConnell: 2.7% of staff employed by the Scottish Executive including its Agencies and Associated Departments, excluding the Scottish Prison Service, have self-declared a disability in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Scottish Opera

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it will provide no special deficit funding for Scottish Opera for the financial year 2000-01.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The additional funding I announced on 8 November 1999 in response to the question from Malcolm Chisholm MSP was a one-off payment. I have no plans to make further special payments to Scottish Opera in the financial year 2000-01.

Student Finance

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those local authorities which no longer award discretionary bursaries to (a) school students and (b) students of music, dance and drama.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I am afraid that the requested information is not held centrally.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, for each of the last ten years, Scotland’s market share of tourism in relation to (i) the UK, (ii) Europe and (iii) the world.

Henry McLeish: The information is as follows:

  

 

1990

  

1991

  

1992

  

1993

  

1994

  

1995

  

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  

1999*

  



UK**

  

8.2

  

8.8

  

9.4

  

9.6

  

7.9

  

7.9

  

8.2

  

8.3

  

8.0

  

7.5

  



Europe***

  

0.56

  

0.52

  

0.55

  

0.54

  

0.53

  

0.56

  

0.57

  

0.57

  

0.53

  

0.54

  



World***

  

0.35

  

0.34

  

0.36

  

0.33

  

0.33

  

0.33

  

0.33

  

0.34

  

0.32

  

0.33

  



  * Estimated

  ** Both domestic and overseas tourism within the UK

  *** Excludes domestic tourism

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate whether the due date for subscriptions and other payments to the area tourist boards by members can be altered in order to minimise any cash flow problems experienced because of the seasonal nature of the tourist trade.

Henry McLeish: The budgeting arrangements of area tourist boards are a matter for the individual bodies themselves.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a system to provide any necessary assistance to meet any costs of bed and breakfast businesses in hooking up to the Internet and project OSSIAN and any membership costs thereof.

Henry McLeish: All accommodation establishments who are members of area tourist boards receive a free entry on the Internet via Ossian. General IT and Ossian specific training is provided through Local Enterprise Companies and Area Tourist Boards.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require the Scottish Tourist Board to make available to non-members of the area tourist boards membership of the OSSIAN project so that they are not excluded from any benefits of it.

Henry McLeish: No. The Scottish Tourist Board’s policy ensures that all accommodation providers and visitor attraction operators whose details appear on the Scotland website offer a quality assured product.

Volvo in Irvine

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what grant assistance, in the form of Regional Selective Assistance or other grant aid monies, has been paid to Volvo in support of its Irvine plant.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to claw back any grant assistance paid to Volvo in support of its Irvine plant, should the plant close in June.

Henry McLeish: Central records are not maintained of all grant schemes which Volvo may have been eligible to apply for. However, the principal form of government grant assistance made available to industry is Regional Selective Assistance. In 1994 Volvo was offered Regional Selective Assistance amounting to £1,400,000 to help expand production capacity at Irvine. Having met initial targets set out in the offer of grant Volvo was paid £620,000. Following the announcement of the closure of Volvo’s Irvine plant the grant was repaid in full.

  Volvo therefore has no outstanding obligations under the Regional Selective Assistance Scheme.

Whisky Industry

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the draft Water Framework Directive on the Scotch whisky industry, and what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government and the European Council of Ministers on this matter.

Sarah Boyack: The forthcoming EC Water Framework Directive is currently under negotiation. Its possible effects on industry, including the Scotch whisky industry, could include tighter controls on some waste-water discharges. The draft Directive would also require a system of controls on the abstraction and impoundment of water. The Scottish Executive will consult extensively on its proposals for implementing the Directive.

  The Scottish Executive is fully involved in the development of the UK’s negotiating position on the draft Directive.

Young Offenders

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the purpose of the visit by the Minister for Justice to the Dumfries Young Offenders Institution on 31 March.

Mr Jim Wallace: To meet the Governor and staff, observe the regime and view the recently refurbished halls.

Young Offenders

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it has no plans to make any operational changes at Dumfries Young Offenders Institution which could lead to a significant reduction in the number of inmates.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service has no plans at present to make any operational changes at Dumfries Young Offenders Institution which would lead to a significant reduction in the number of inmates.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer at which of its meetings the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body became aware of a greater deterioration in the state of repair of Queensberry House than was known when the contract for the Holyrood Project was signed.

Sir David Steel: It became increasingly apparent during October 1999 that Queensberry House was in a poorer state than originally expected following removal of internal plaster. Our structural engineers identified in mid-November 1999 that additional works were required. The SPCB discussed the condition of Queensberry House at a meeting on 23 November 1999 and reported to MSPs in SPCB report No. 3 on 1 December 1999.

Holyrood

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what estimated cost for the new Parliament building at Holyrood was provided to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) by the design team at each SPCB meeting when the project was discussed from 1 June 1999 onwards.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what estimated square footage of the new Parliament building at Holyrood was provided to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) by the design team at each SPCB meeting when the project was discussed from 1 June 1999 onwards.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer at how many Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body meetings, from 1 June 1999 onwards, the design, space or cost of the new Parliament building was discussed.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what additional elements (a) the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and (b) the design team have added to the design brief for the new Parliament building since 1 June 1999; what date each additional element was added; why each addition was approved, and what the estimated cost is of each addition.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the report from the design team to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body’s 22 February meeting, including any verbal estimates of costs of construction fees, fitting out, VAT and any other additional costs relating to the project given at the meeting, will be published.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has been advised that the new Parliament building will require further planning permissions in the light of design changes made since 1 June 1999.

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is assuming a cost limit of £109 million for the present Holyrood Project and whether the facilities and space feasible at that cost are unaltered since those outlined to, and supported by, a majority of MSPs last June.

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether a cost limit of more than £109 million for the Holyrood Project is envisaged and, if so, what it is.

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how much of the office and ancillary accommodation required by the Scottish Parliament can be located on the site of the Holyrood Project and how much will be located elsewhere in Edinburgh.

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what will be the function of Queensberry House in the parliamentary complex.

Sir David Steel: I advise members to await the publication of Mr Spencely’s report which will enable such details to be set in context.